


Paso

by neverwinter (KingPreussen)



Series: it takes a village [5]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, No Spoilers, Protectiveness, Some Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Taako has a temper, also Taako has a potty mouth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-22 20:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10704165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingPreussen/pseuds/neverwinter
Summary: Living in the city had massive perks. For one, they didn't have to drive everywhere; there was usually something fun within walking distance. Even Angus' school was just down the street from their apartment. This restaurant that Carey picked out was three blocks away, practically under their feet. For one: b, they didn't have to worry about parking, an activity that tested Taako's patience even worse than walking among crowds.Between the heat and the lunchtime rush, Angus figured nothing else woulddaretry Taako. Fate had another idea.---An encounter with a past lover, in poetic terms. Taako would just say, "He's lucky I had a kid with me, that stupid motherfucker!"





	Paso

**Author's Note:**

> _non-explicit_ reference to an abusive relationship between taako and sazed
> 
> but really this is just another story about angus and his dad
> 
> angus is still slightly younger than canon
> 
> [title from paso](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyJUI3cmnH4)

Angus' dad was probably the _least_ patient person in all of Faerün, and Angus had met a lot of people. Taako wasn't so much reckless with his own life and the lives of others anymore, mostly down to having Angus to take care of 24/7, but he was still liable to snap and sneer with very little provocation.

(Angus did once tell him that, at eight years old, he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself sometimes. Taako looked a little teary for the rest of the day and practically squeezed Angus to death whenever he stood still long enough to be held. The boy detective learned not to bring that stuff up anymore.)

Usually it was best to just let him do what he wanted when he was in a mood. Angus thought it was apt that someone so internally sensitive had such a hard shell around him--that made it much easier to keep good feelings in and bad feelings out. Istus knew Angus had his own share of problems that he preferred to share with Taako and only Taako, usually in the middle of the night when he could whisper them.

Today, on their way to lunch with Carey and Killian, Taako's temper flared spectacularly. It was a million degrees outside at noon in the middle of Neverwinter and the heat and crowds already had him on edge, but then, as they were crossing a busy street, a car attempted to inch up on the crosswalk during a red light. Taako automatically shoved Angus forward and out of the danger zone, and then slammed both hands on the hood of the car, stray black and blonde curls wild about his face.

"Watch where the _fuck_ you're going," Taako snarled. The person inside of the car began to swear right back, and Angus laughed; when Taako stepped away, there were two black handprints on the car, most likely from a Burning Hands cast beforehand. Most of the people around them kept walking, used to this amount of violence on a day-to-day basis, but a few spared them curious glances.

"Dad," Angus admonished gently, taking one of Taako's now-cooled hands and tugging him away from the situation before it could escalate. He used his other hand, already gripping two lodestones, to cast Mending on the car Taako burned. The driver had already opened their door, probably to start a fight, but when they saw their car was repaired they slammed it closed again.

Taako flipped them the bird before letting Angus pull him to the other side of the busy sidewalk. "What a dick," he said under his breath as they walked. He disentangled his fingers from Angus' to instead wrap his arm around his shoulders and scritch gently at his hair like you would a cat. "I wish it wasn't hot as balls outside 'cause I would have Scorching Rayed the shit out of that car."

You wouldn't have, Angus thought wryly. Out loud, he said, "It's supposed to cool down later today," Taako's phone glowing brightly in his now free hand. He had his own phone for emergencies, but most of the time he slipped Taako's out of his pocket for the weather and the time. Taako didn't hesitate to set Angus' fingerprint into his phone, something that always made people coo when they heard about it.

"Fuck a cool down," Taako said emphatically. "I want snow."

"Taako, in six months you'll be complaining it's too cold."

Taako glanced down at him with a grin and said, laughter in his voice, "You know me so well pumpkin." Angus couldn't stop the snort that escaped him at that.

Living in the city had massive perks. For one, they didn't have to drive everywhere; there was usually something fun within walking distance. Even Angus' school was just down the street from their apartment. This restaurant that Carey picked out was three blocks away, practically under their feet. For one: b, they didn't have to worry about parking, an activity that tested Taako's patience even worse than walking among crowds.

Between the heat and the lunchtime rush, Angus figured nothing else would _dare_ try Taako. Fate had another idea.

"Oh my god, is that you?" a loud voice called from their left. Angus looked up and over, slowing his steps slightly to get a better view, but Taako's hand tightened on his shoulder and kept them moving. "Taako! Hey, Taako!"

Taako's sharply pointed ears drooped under his hair and he stopped under the awning of a store, standing with his head held high like he was moments from being executed. Angus wrapped an arm around his hips and squeezed worriedly.

"Can you do me a favor, Angus?" he murmured without looking down. Angus nodded against his side. "Go inside, to stay out of the heat. Don't want my favorite boy getting a heatstroke." The corner of his mouth tilted up and he gently patted Angus' cheek. "Call Carey or Killian and let them know we'll be a few minutes late. I'll come in and get you."

Angus nodded again before pulling away and entering the store, which welcomed him with the tinkle of a bell and a wave of cool air. Taako wasn't often serious with him, preferring to show either affection or playfulness, or some combination of the two. Serious Taako meant a beyond serious situation, but Angus tried not to worry. It would most likely be explained to him later.

The shopkeeper looked up at him when he entered, and smiled when he waved. "My dad is outside, I'm just waiting," he explained.

"Wait as long as you like, kiddo." They lowered the magazine they had been reading almost to the top of the counter, as if they were going to put it down. "Do you need water, or anything…?"

"No thank you," Angus declined politely, and turned back to the entrance of the store. He wasn't nearly high enough level to cast Clairvoyance or Arcane Eye, so he had to stick to peering out of the window and attempting to read Taako's lips.

There was a person with him now. They looked Elven, from Angus' angle, but they had a roundness to their eyes and a sharpness to their nose that betrayed their Human ancestry. They didn't seem to be threatening Taako in any way, gesturing with open hands and smiling, but Taako had his arms crossed over his chest in an unwelcoming pose. Even people passing by on the sidewalk gave the two of them curious looks, wondering if there was going to be a fight.

The Half-elf said something, laughed, and then Angus could make out the words "your kid." The way Taako stiffened made Angus' heart jump; he looked like he'd been struck. All of a sudden he wasn't frozen, he was pointing a finger in the other person's face, using the bare inch he held over them in height to intimidate them.

Angus wanted to cast a Message at Taako, to ask what was going on and if he needed help, but the vibration of his phone in his pocket broke his concentration. He fumbled for it and flipped it open, bringing it to his ear.

"Angus?" came Killian's voice.

"Oh, sorry, ma'am, we're on our way!" he said, flinching at his forgetfulness. "We just… got caught up."

Killian laughed in her warm, rough, comforting way. "No worries, little man, just making sure. You need a pickup?"

Angus watched the person try to reach out to Taako and get their hand slapped away. "No thank you. We'll be right there. Bye Killian!"

Maybe it was a little rude of him to hang up so quickly without letting her say goodbye, but he would have to deal with that later. He gave up all pretenses of sneaking and spying and opened the shop door out into the heat again, moving between the stranger and Taako as quickly as he could.

Angus knew he wasn't intimidating at all--who would be afraid of an eight year old, especially one as short and skinny as him--but he wouldn't let Taako stay out there alone, no matter what he was told to do. "Don't touch him," he said, not loud but firm. The person blinked down at him, probably surprised by both his size and his race. "Come on, Taako, we're late."

"No, no, kid, I wasn't--." The stranger put on a sickly smile and Angus took a step back until he was flush with Taako, who automatically rested his hands on Angus' shoulders. "Look, I knew him once upon a time. I was just trying to catch up!" They stuck a hand out for him to shake and Taako's fingers tightened against him. "I'm Sazed."

Angus turned away and grabbed Taako's hand instead. "I talked to Killian," he informed the Elf; Taako's eyes were locked on Sazed still. "They're waiting for us."

Taako cleared his throat. "Yeah, dude. Sure thing." But now, instead of angry, he just looked a bit lost. Angus never thought he'd miss his dad being pissed off. "I can't talk now, Sazed. Just… I'll see you, I guess."

"Taako," Sazed murmured, part question and part plea, but Angus was already marching in the other direction, his father in tow.

Taako let Angus lead them both around the corner and into a Starbucks, which was decidedly _not_ the restaurant they would be meeting at, and push him into a chair. Angus probably would have cast Shocking Grasp to bring Taako back to awareness if he thought he was any more out of it than he looked.

"So," Taako said after a few moments, deep, dark eyes finally focusing on Angus instead of staring into the middle distance. "Uh. Sorry about that."

"Who was that, Taako? Were they trying to hurt you?" Angus pulled himself up into the chair on the opposite side of the table. "Do you want to cancel with Carey and Killian? Do they know that person too?"

"Woah, slow down, bubeleh." Taako reached over to gently pull at one of Angus' curls. "That was… remember when I told you about, uh, my ex who…." He sighed and looked down at the table. "Who wasn't very kind to me. Not like Magnus and Julia, or Killian and Carey. He didn't, uh, didn't treat me very well."

Angus simultaneously regretted not using a Fire Bolt on Sazed and realized just how much Taako's violent habits were rubbing off on him. "I'm sorry, dad," he said, curling his hands into fists in his lap.

"Don't worry about it!" Taako waved his hand dismissively. "He just surprised me. I'm fine, promise."

That statement--that _lie_ \--struck Angus. "If you were fine you would have fucked him up," he said before thinking about it, and then slapped his hands over his mouth, mortified. Taako often told him he "didn't give a fuck" if Angus swore but he was raised to be perfectly polite. Whenever he accidently said anything out of place he flinched, and if Taako was near enough to him when it happened he usually got an affectionate pat.

"Oh, darling." Taako laughed and pulled his phone out, typing rapidly with his eyes still focused on Angus. "You really do know me well. The truth is, I'm sorry you were there to see me like that." He set his phone down and started to examine his fingernails. "It was a moment of weakness, and the _last_ time I should be weak is around my kid."

Angus didn't know how to refute that without a lot of tears on his part, so he just pursed his lips and exhaled sharply through his nose. "After lunch, can we go to the bookstore? There's a new Caleb Cleveland novel I wanted to pick up." Just the mention of Angus' favorite stories made Taako roll his eyes and start in on one of his scathing reviews of the series and Angus' taste in books in general. Angus knew he would be getting his book that afternoon, and from the sheer quantity of insults toward it, Taako would probably read it to him as he went to sleep.

Taako's phone vibrated on the table and he swiped at the screen. "Alright, pumpkin, it's time to face the music." He stood and reached over for Angus' hand, and Angus slid off of his chair to take it. "Mrs and Mrs Busybody are gonna ask all your questions and more and I can't even burn spell slots on them 'cause I love them or some shit."

"It'll be okay, Taako, I can protect you!" Angus reassured, and while Taako sighed dramatically, he couldn't completely hide the grin tugging at his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> what did you think? thanks for reading!


End file.
